1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is an enhanced pumped storage power system. More particularly, the invention is a regenerative power system that utilizes the gravitational forces of downward movement of large quantities of water to convert same to electrical energy.
In the preferred mode of implementation, the system utilizes a man-made lake at a first level of elevation. Though higher altitudes can be effective, the lake need only be approximately twenty to thirty feet in elevation. The lake, which may exceed one hundred acres in size, may be elevated above and adjacent a natural body of water, such as seawater at a coastline. As such, sandy terrain associated with the region facilitates initial construction of the system. An underground generator is utilized for the power conversion and pumping of the water back to the upper reservoir during times of low energy demand, allowing for significant noise reduction. Importantly, the system of the present invention may be utilized to provide significant levels of power to serve relatively large geographic areas during times of peak energy demand, when other sources of power are more expensive and subject to power outages. Finally, it should be noted that the components of the system are aesthetically-pleasing in nature, allowing the system to be effectively utilized in a residential area.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for pumped storage power systems have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted. The following is a summary of those prior art patents most relevant to the invention at hand, as well a description outlining the differences between the features of the present invention and those of the prior art.    1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,901, invented by Crausbay, Entitled “Electric Power Generating System”
The Crausbay invention relates to an electric power generating system particularly adapted for use in locals where there is an absence of a water supply with sufficient elevation to supply the required power for an electrical energy generating system, or the water supply is insufficient for the required generating system. The deficiency is overcome in part by providing an elevated water supply reservoir and a system of gravity actuated water powered pumps for utilizing the discharge of the generating system to pump at least a portion of the discharge to the elevated reservoir. It is further proposed to utilize a pumping system of the wave motor type for pumping relatively available water at sea level to the elevated water reservoir. It is also proposed to provide a split stream of water from an elevated water supply to two generators at different elevations with the discharge from the uppermost generator being recombined with the other portion of the split stream for introduction into the generator at the lower level.    2. U.S. Pat. No. 4,110,980, invented by Foulke, Entitled “Apparatus For Producing Mechanical Kinetic Energy From Falling Water”
In the patent to Folke, agitation of the surface of a body of water by a falling stream of water results in the entrainment of air bubbles which are carried underneath the surface. These air bubbles are collected in a tank having a submerged open bottom. Air pressure is produced within the tank and utilized to perform useful work by operating a pneumatic pressure transformer which in turn produces high pressure air for operating a series of air-lift pumps. In an alternative embodiment a reciprocating piston motor or turbine is positioned in a path of flow between a portion of the body of water containing relatively few air bubbles and another portion containing a relatively large quantity of bubbles. Flow through this path takes place by reason of a difference in densities and is available to do useful work.    3. U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,988, invented by Maple, Entitled “Water Lift Generator System”
The patent to Maple describes a water lift generator system for generating electricity by a water system propelled by the force of water cycling through the system. A multi-chamber water lift system includes an down cycle converting the potential energy of water traveling downward through a down tube and out a nozzle or spout turned tangential to the main chamber to cause the chamber to rotate. The rotation of the system runs an up—cycle having several tee shaped tubes which operate to lift water from one chamber to the next higher chamber. The topmost chamber has an additional tee tube connecting the inner chamber with the down tube to complete the cycle. A water supply may be provided at the base of the machine to provide a closed cycle.    4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,450, invented by Quaintance, Entitled “Electrical Generating Apparatus And Method”
The patent to Quaintance describes an apparatus and method for generating electricity cheaply, efficiently, and with no resulting air or water pollutants. The device is pressurized so that water is forced out of the operating section of the device and up a small tube into a head tank. Once the device is in this position, a water pump in the head tank is activated thereby forcing water downward which, in conjunction with gravity, applies sufficient force to a water wheel located at the end of a large tube to turn an electrical generating device. Since the system is pressurized and sealed, water introduced into the operating section is forced continuously into the water side of the device back up the small tube and into the head tank for recycling.    5. U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,455, invented by Doleh et al., Entitled “Apparatus For Conversion Of Energy From the Vertical Movement Of Seawater”
The patent to Doleh, et al. describes an apparatus for conversion of energy from the vertical movement of seawater is made of a hollow body situated substantially upright on the sea bottom and provided with at least one aperture in a wall thereof. The water is free to move into and out of the hollow body. The apparatus also has a floating body moveable with respect to the hollow body in the vertical direction caused by the movement of the seawater level. The floating body is in communication with the space in the hollow body in order to change the volume thereof, so that a fluid flow is created inside the hollow body and is used to drive a propeller being connected directly or indirectly to an energy generator.    6. U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,971, invented by Bailey, Entitled “Two Reservoir Solar Air-Weight Impelling Hydro Power System”
In the patent to Bailey, using a two reservoir system, a portion of the water moves from reservoir to reservoir. In its path, it collects air, which is expanded by solar energy, which helps to move weights, by an expanding and contracting float method to create substantial hydro power, after which it returns back to the path of which it started, without causing any pollution and without using any outside fuel whatsoever.    7. U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,959, invented by Ambli, Entitled “Wave Energy Power Station”
In the patent to Ambli, a wave energy power station comprises two water-filled chambers in communication at the bottom, wherein a first chamber is in communication with the sea at the upper end thereof and the second chamber is defined by one or more walls which project above the surface of the sea, such that pressure variations in the sea owing to the waves will set the water in an oscillating movement between the two chambers, and energy being tapped from the oscillating system, for example, by allowing the water in the chamber which is not in communication with the sea to overflow periodically into a reservoir, from which it is led back to the sea through a turbine, or by utilizing the water column in the second chamber for drawing in and compressing air which drives an air turbine. A water-filled tank is permanently installed on the sea bed or floating in the sea, and has a bottom and one or more walls, at least one wall or a portion of one wall being terminated at the upper edge thereof below the surface of the sea, the submerged upper edge and a partition wall which can be fixed or movable up and down in the water in the tank together defining the upper end of the chamber which communicates with the sea, the partition wall also, alone or together with one or more of the tank walls which project up above the surface of the water, defining the second chamber end which is not in communication with the sea, there being provided in the case of a fixed partition wall an adjacent tank wall section which is adapted for movement toward and away from the partition wall at the end of the second chamber for regulating the cross-sectional surface at that chamber end.    8. U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,347, invented by Modisette, Entitled “Double Acting Turbine For Converting Wave Energy Of Water To Electrical Power”
The patent to Modisette describes a double acting turbine for converting water wave energy to electrical power in a marine buoy or platform. A tubular body is provided one end of which is adapted to be inserted into the water wave and the second end is adapted to extend out of the water whereby the rise and fall of water in the body creates a flow of air in alternate directions through the body. A turbine having a plurality of outwardly extending blades is positioned in the body above the water level and exposed to and rotated by the flow of air and is connected to an electrical generator for generating electricity in response to the rotation of the wheel. The turbine is designed to operate with air flowing in either direction through the turbine so that power is generated as the water both rises and falls in the tubular body. The turbine blades include a concave surface on one side and a convex surface on the opposite side. The cross-sectional shape of the blades are shaped to provide an air flow passageway between adjacent blades which decreases in area from each edge thereby forming a restriction in the passageway between the blade edges whereby the wheel will rotate in a single direction regardless of the direction of flow of air through the body. A stator may be provided on each side of the turbine wheel having a plurality of blades directed towards the concave surfaces of the blades of the turbine wheel. In order to increase the amount of air flow through the body, the body may include a plurality of housings.    9. U.S. Pat. No. 6,445,078, invented by Cieslak, Jr., Entitled “Gravity Electrical Generating System”
The patent to Cieslak, Jr. describes a system for gravity generation of electricity which includes upper and lower water reservoirs with a conduit between the reservoirs and a pump to continuously pump water from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir. A number of water containers are positioned side-by-side and mounted for up and down travel between the upper and lower reservoirs. When the containers have attained their upper most position at the upper reservoir, they are engaged by limit switch mechanisms to fill the containers with water from the upper reservoir. Upon being filled the containers travel by gravity to their lower most position to the lower reservoir wherein additional limit switch mechanisms are employed to drain the containers into the bottom reservoir. As the containers travel downwardly, they engage and drive an electric generator for generating large quantities of electricity. Once the containers are at their lower most position and have been fully drained they are driven back up to the upper reservoir for refill by independent geared motors.    10. U.S. Pat. No. 6,420,794, invented by Cao, Entitled “Hydropower Conversion System”
The patent to Cao describes a hydropower conversion system for circulation of water between a delivering reservoir and a receiving reservoir through hydro-turbines, pumps, and back-up reservoir. Water in the delivering reservoir is maintained at a constant functioning level by adjusting valve linked with valve control mechanism to adjust the opening and closing of passages conducting water flowing from the back-up reservoir into the delivering reservoir. Outlets allow excess water to flow out of the back-up reservoir back down to the receiving reservoir. The hydro-turbines are connected to power machinery. The pumps are driven by a natural energy source. In one embodiment, the receiving and delivering reservoirs are structurally connected; in another embodiment, the two reservoirs are separate reservoirs.    11. U.S. Pat. No. 6,359,347, invented by Wolf, Entitled “Siphon Hydroelectric Generator”
The patent to Wolf describes a method and apparatus for generating hydroelectric power from a water source by lifting water from a relatively lower position to a second relatively raised position. The water is moved in a generally upward direction stepwise from a lowermost tier to an uppermost tier in a plurality of stacked tiers. The water from the water source is initially upwardly siphoned to the lowermost tier. The water from the lower tier is then upwardly siphoned to a next adjacent higher tier. The water from the uppermost tier is channeled down to turn a turbine driven generator to produce electrical power.    12. U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,444, invented by Ramer, Entitled “Method For Deep Shaft Pumpback Energy Generation”
In the patent to Ramer, a method and apparatus are disclosed for converting the potential energy stored in an upper reservoir of water into electrical energy, whereby, during periods of high energy demand, water is introduced from the upper reservoir into an underground salt dome by way of an underground shaft which connects the upper reservoir with the underground salt dome. Hydroelectric generators which are located along the shaft convert the kinetic energy of the falling water into electrical energy to meet periodic high energy demands. The water empties into the underground salt dome and dissolves a cavity in the same to produce a large underground reservoir. During periods of electrical energy surplus, electric pumps are utilized to pump the water back to the surface so that the process may be repeated.
In contrast to the above described prior art, the present invention is a pumped storage power system that relies upon the downward pressure of water from a relatively low head or level of elevation to produce electrical power.
As such, the present invention is distinguished from the tidal or cyclical wave power systems common in the prior art, such as that utilized in the Bay of Fundy, Canada. In such a prior art system, consistent waves in excess of twenty feet in height are relied upon to generate electrical power.
An additional power project located in North Blenheim, N.Y., known as the New York Power Authority's Blenheim Gilboa Power Project, teaches the usage of a pumped storage system, however the same requires a head of several hundred feet. Specifically, the Blenheim Gilboa Power Project utilizes a mountain adjacent a river to comprise a significant differential in altitude between the reservoirs—a configuration not available in many geographic areas. An additional drawback associated with such a system is the need to dam a portion of the river during construction of the system, adding to the cost of implementation significantly.
No prior art reference appears to teach the usage of a dual reservoir pumped storage system wherein the bottom of the upper man-made lake lies only twenty to thirty feet above the top of the lower man-made lake. Importantly, this configuration allows the system to be utilized in virtually any geographic area, particularly flat land such as that commonly found on islands and adjacent coastlines.